


Sacrifice

by chloeandellsie



Category: Original Work
Genre: Christianity, Gen, Homelessness, Love, Sacrifice, Save
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-29
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-09 08:28:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16446344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chloeandellsie/pseuds/chloeandellsie
Summary: Cilia is a 20-year-old uni student, and bully.Natasha Linewood and her sister Kylie are Cilia's victims, and they can't understand why.But what they don't know, is that Cilia is the mother to a naughty 3-year-old boy, lives in a tiny apartment, struggling under piles of debt, overworked and exhausted.When Kylie is given a choice between her sister's life or Cilia's, she defies all expectations and saves her bully.Cilia's life is turned upside down, she is so confused and stressed, to make things worse she loses her home.Watch as Cilia goes on an unforgettable journey towards salvation.





	1. Chapter 1

"That sums up our session for today, make sure to have those papers in on Friday," the university teacher instructed his class, "that's all, have a good one."  
The students poured out of the room and over to their lockers, it was time to go home.  
One student tried to open her locker, but the armload of books made it quite difficult; suddenly they all tumbled to the ground.  
She sighed and brushed her ash-coloured, blonde hair away from her face as she bent down to pick up her things.  
Just before she grabbed her study papers, a girl who was walking nearby came and stood next to her, "you shouldn't be so clumsy Natasha," she said, kicked her pile of books across the floor, grabbed one of her handwritten papers and tore it in half, "do you know bad things can happen when you don't pay attention?"  
Natasha stood up, she felt like slapping this girl in the face, "that wasn't nice," she said.  
The girl merely laughed and strutted off down the hallway.  
"Don't pay any attention to her, Tash," said a kind looking girl walking up to her, "here, I'll help you pick these up, maybe we can tape the paper back together."  
Natasha smiled at her sister, "thanks Kylie," then she laughed, "what a good way to top off a birthday."  
Kylie smiled sympathetically, "yeah, don't worry, you'll have a great night tonight, Mum's making a surprise for dinner."  
Soon the girls had picked up all the books, put them in their backpacks, and headed for home.

"How was your day?" Anna asked, welcoming her daughters home.  
"Oh, alright I guess," Natasha replied, slinging her backpack on the couch and sitting down.  
"Now that's no way for the birthday girl to act," Anna replied, "why are so down?"  
Kylie answered for her sister, "we had a run in with Cilia today."  
"Ahh," Anna said, "what did she do this time?"  
"Tore my research paper and kicked my books across the floor," Natasha answered, "then she said I shouldn't be so clumsy and that bad things could happen; then she just laughed."  
"Oh sweetheart," Anna said joining her daughter on the couch, "with people like her, we need to remember to keep loving them like Jesus would have us do."  
"I know," Natasha replied, "but it's so hard; at least she didn't dump a bottle of glue on my hair like last time, I'm still finding it hard to adjust to it being so short," she said, running her fingers through her shoulder length hair.  
"Oh," Kylie said, "I think it looks really nice on you, heaps nicer than my hair, and since it was recent, it's like you're going for a whole new look for your birthday."  
"Yes," Anna said, "but Kylie, your hair is pretty too, it's down to your waist and a pretty auburn, never be discontented with what God gave you."  
"Has everyone lost their appetite?" James asked walking into the living room, "there's food going cold, and here we have three girls chatting away."  
"It's ok Dad," Natasha said, "we were just talking about Uni, we'll come now."  
After saying grace, Anna spoke, "well, Natasha, what's it like being 19?  
I remember feeling so grown up at that age."  
"Yeah, I guess I do feel grown up," she responded, "what did it feel like when you were 19, Kylie?"  
Kylie set her fork down and said, "well as a fully mature 20-year-old-."  
Natasha cut her off with a laugh, "'fully mature? Am I mistaken or was it you who had the bright idea yesterday, to stick a bunch of cotton balls to the dog and have him run around the back garden to get the prickles off the lawn?"  
Kylie laughed, "well it seemed like a good idea at the time. Besides, Nugget is a Dachshund, he has a low tummy he probably could have gotten the prickles off the lawn."  
With that, the whole family had a good laugh, "there's never been a dull moment with you girls," Anna said, "since the day you were born."

After dinner, Natasha was pleasantly surprised that her Mum had made her favourite dessert, trifle, with lots of icecreams of course.  
After that, the family watched a movie and played a few board games, then headed to bed.

"I hope I don't run into Cilia again," Natasha said the next morning as she and Kylie drove to Uni.  
"Well if you do, just see it as another opportunity to be nice to her, she's gotta crack eventually," Kylie responded.  
"Yeah," Natasha said, "but why is it us that she chooses to pick on?  
Is it 'cause she's older? I mean, she's only 6 months older than you."  
"Nah," Kylie said, "I reckon it's just that she has had a bad upbringing and wants to take it out on us."  
"I don't think so, she's just a bully, she says her life is perfect.  
I don't get how she's married, she's horrible, don't know what he sees in her," Natasha said.  
"Hey, that's mean," Kylie responded, "we need to stop talking about her behind her back, and instead work out ways to be nice to her."  
Natasha sighed, "ok," she said.

After 3 classes, the girls met up and discided to buy lunch at the cafeteria.  
"I'm gonna get the chicken soup," Kylie said, "it's probably full of chemicals, but I'm so cold."  
Natasha laughed, "since when do you care about unhealthy food?"  
"Since I do, sort of, I take care of myself," Kylie said.  
"Whatever you say," Natasha responded, "I'll probably get the 'salad'," she said, emphasising the last word.  
Kylie shook her head, "you are so funny," then she felt a tug on her shirt, "what?" She asked.  
Natasha pointed, "it's Cilia, and she's making a bee-line for us."  
"It's ok, I won't let her hurt you," Kylie said, snapping into big sister protective mode.  
"Well if it isn't the most clumsy girl in the University," Cilia said with a nasty smile on her face, "you really should be more careful, you don't want people thinking that that little miss 'always getting A's,' can actually do something wrong.  
You wouldn't want to be seen as a normal person now would you miss perfect."  
"Hey that's enough," Kylie said, "leave her alone, the only reason she get's A's is because she works for them."  
"Oh," Cilia said, her dirty, light blonde hair swinging around her shoulders, "so you're saying I don't work for my grades?"  
"No," Kylie responded calmly, "it's just that on the notice board, there's always a warning for you, saying that your papers are overdue."  
"Listen here," Cilia said, her fake smile disappearing into an angry scowl, "I do try, and honestly, I work harder than both of you."  
She was interrupted by the cafeteria worker handing Kylie her cup of soup.  
Cilia eyes darted from the worker to the soup, and in one quick motion, she hit the cup out of Kylie's hands, spilling burning soup all over her.  
"Don't you dare try to make me look bad," she said, then a sarcastic smile formed on her lips, "things could get nasty."  
The worker stared in disbelief as Cilia walked off, "here," she said handing some napkins to Kylie, "are you ok?"  
Kylie rubbed the wet patch on her top and her arm, "yeah, I don't think I've been burned bad."  
"You girls had better go to the Chancellor about this right away," the worker said, "he'll want to know about it."  
"Oh no, no," Kylie responded, "we won't do that."  
"Why not?" The worker said, tilting her head to one side.  
"Because we don't want to get back at her, if we tell the Chancellor, she'll be punished," Kylie said.  
"Yeah, and if she did get in trouble, she'd just hurt us more," Natasha replied, "we'll just leave it."  
The worker just shook her head, "ok, you don't have to go," she said, and walked off.


	2. Chapter 2

"How was your class?" Kylie asked her sister 2 days later at lunch.  
"Good," Natasha replied inbetween a mouthful of sandwich, "I didn't know there was so much to know about counselling."  
"I didn't know there was so much about the human heart," Natasha said, "you know if someone has a heart replacement it can actually change their personality?"  
"Really?" Kylie responded, "so it could make a mean person nice?"  
"Sort of yeah," Natasha said, "imagine if Cilia had a heart replacement, it would be good I guess, it might actually make her nicer."  
The girls laughed, "oh yes, it would be great!"  
Kylie smiled and turned her attention back to her lunch, and saw Cilia standing right opposite her!  
"Cilia!" Kylie started, "I uh-."  
"Save it," Cilia said abruptly, "didn't I tell you the other day not to make me look bad?"  
"Yes, I'm really sorry, we were just joking," Natasha said.  
"Not that, although you will pay for your little 'joke', you just had to go and tell the Chancellor what I did!" Cilia barked.  
Natasha looked shocked, "we never-!"  
Cilia cut her off, "oh I'm sure you didn't!" She said mockingly, "you just wait 'till I tell the chancellor some grand stories of what you've done."  
"Honestly we never went and told," Kylie said, "it must have been the worker who was there, she wanted us to tell, but I told her not to."  
"Really, you are such a lier!" Cilia said, then a smug smile crossed her face, "you know what?" She said, "I'm gonna spread such a big rumour about you two, that you'll never get a boyfriend here or any friend for that matter!"  
"That's ok," Kylie said, "go ahead, I'm not gonna play your little game and get back at you; that's why I never went to the chancellor."  
Just then a memory flashed in Cilia's mind:  
There was yelling and shouting, things smashing on the floor.  
"Don't lie to me!" A man's voice echoed across the house.  
"I said I she's yours!" A high pitched yell replied.  
"I'm not blind!" The man shouted back to his wife, "I know about you and Liam!  
You are just playing your little games, trying to deceive me!  
No wonder she's such a brat, no wonder I've never loved that kid!  
She looks just like him!  
You tried to hide it, but I know the truth!  
You can take your kid and get out!"  
"I'm not leaving!" The woman yelled back, "you'll have to make me go, and when you do I'll call the cops."  
The man's expression changed to a cold, numb look, he marched into the living room and dragged out the petrified 6-year-old girl.  
He shook her arm hard and yelled, "take your brat and leave! It's over Sarah," he said and shoved the girl towards her mother.  
"You know what?" Sarah replied taking the girl roughly, "stuff you!  
Come on Cilia let's go."  
Then she quickly packed her bags while Cilia said goodbye to her half-brother, and just like that, they were out the door and gone.

Cilia shook her head trying to clear the memory, what had come over her?  
"Cilia?" Kylie said, "are you ok?"  
"Yeah, yeah," Cilia replied, "just got a weird flashback, that's all."  
"What was it about?" Natasha asked, "I'm studying to be a counseller, if it was a bad flashback maybe I could help."  
Cilia shook her head, "why on earth do you care? Stay out of my life!" She said, "and by the way, I'm still gonna spread that story."  
"Go right ahead," Kylie said, "I'm not going to get you back."  
Cilia just shook her head and walked off, "I'll never understand that girl," she whispered under her breath.

She sighed and parked her car in the apartment block car park.  
She grabbed her backpack, locked her car and fumbled around trying to find her house key.  
She climbed the stairs arrived at number 16; she could already hear the familiar, and horrible, high pitched screaming.  
She quickly slipped the gold ring of her left ring finger, put it in her pocket, sighed and opened the door to quite a seen.  
A young girl, about 12 years old was sitting on the couch, trying to comfort the screaming, red-faced toddler.  
She dropped her backpack and keys on the bench and walked over to the girl, "thanks for this Grace," she said.  
"It's ok," the girl replied, "thanks for asking me to babysit your little brother, Cilia."  
Cilia smiled, grabbed her purse from the bench, opened it and pulled out a 20 dollar note, "here you go."  
"Aww, thanks!" Grace replied, "I thought I'd get like 5 dollars or something, thanks!"  
"Your welcome, thanks for watching Andy," Cilia said, seeing the girl out the door, "is it ok if you watch him the same time tomorrow?"  
"Sure," Grace replied, "see ya then."  
"Seeya," Cilia said, and closed the door, then turned to the screaming boy on the couch.  
She sighed, walked over and picked him up, "oh, stop screaming Andy! What's wrong?"  
"She, wouldn't let, me, have, my, yogurt!" The boy said imbetween his sobs.  
Cilia put him down, walked over to the fridge, got out a squeezy yoghurt, opened it and handed it to the boy, who snatched it and ran off.  
"Andy," Cilia said, "what do you say?"  
"Bum face!" He giggled, "Mummy's a bum face!"  
"Andy that's not nice!" Cilia said, "say sorry."  
"Ha! Bum face!" The boy yelled and ran off into his room.  
Cilia sighed and dropped into a chair, "Andy, what am I supposed to do with you?  
I can't deal with you!" She buried her face in her hands, "how am I supposed to to be a mother to a 3-year-old, run him to kindy every day, pay Mrs Black to pick him up and drop him here, and find girls to babysit?  
Oh, I'm gonna burn out one day."  
Cilia took a deep breath, opened her backpack and pulled out her books.  
"Right," she muttered to herself, "overdue assignment."  
She got out her pencil and notebook and started to search her textbook for the answers to the questions.  
"If, after a bill passes both houses of Congress and goes to the President for signature, can Congress recall the bill? And if so, how?" Cilia sighed, "what?" She said, "if after a bill passes bo-."  
"Mummy!!!" A loud scream called from across the apartment, "Mummy!!!"  
"What?" Cilia asked.  
The screaming didn't stop, it was drawn out, high pitched and enough to drive someone crazy, "Mummy!!!"  
"Oh shut up!" Cilia yelled, "Mummy's trying to study!"  
"Mummy!!!" It came again.  
Cilia slammed her pencil down and walked over to her son's room, "what!" She asked.  
"Play wiff me!" Any said holding up his plastic fire trucks.  
"No," Cilia said, "I need to study. Entertain yourself," then she hurried back to the table.  
"If, after a bill - no, I'll do that one later, next question.  
What is the difference between a joint and a concurrent resolution of Congress?" Cilia sighed, "what is the difference-"  
"Mummy!!!" Andy screamed again, "I'm bored! Mummy!!!"  
Cilia jumped up from the table, went into the living room, and turned on the tv to a kid's channel.  
Then she ran over to Andy, picked him up and plonked him in front of the TV, "there, now shut up and let me concentrate," she said and stormed back to the kitchen table.  
"Now, the difference between a joint and a concurrent resolution of Congress," Cilia said, and then glanced over at the clock, 6pm; she had better make dinner.  
"I'll finish this after," she said and set about making something to eat.  
She went to the freezer and got out a frozen meal, and noticed her freezer was pretty empty, she'd have to go shopping.  
She'd need someone to watch Andy, he was impossible to take shopping with causing a disaster; she'd have to hire Grace again, how much would that cost?  
That reminded her, she'd have to go the bank tomorrow to pay off her uni loan.  
She got out a bag of frozen chips and threw everything in the oven, 40 minutes later she had washed up the dishes, wishing for the hundredth time she had the dishwasher she couldn't afford.  
Andy was happy now, glued to the screen, watching some TV show that he probably didn't understand, but Cilia didn't care, at least he was quiet.  
She went back to her study and managed to write a 5th of her assignment and answer 2 questions before Andy started up again.  
"Mummy!" His cry echoed from the next room, "Mummy!"  
"Ugghh! What!" Cilia yelled walking into the living room, "I want my Ipad!" He yelled.  
Cilia grabbed it off the shelf, turned it on and started up some game for little kids, matching shapes or something, and handed it to him, who like normal, snatched it.  
As he did it fell on the floor, "Mummy!" He said angerly and hit her, "give it back!"  
Cilia picked it up, "don't hit me!" She said, "that's naughty!"  
"Mummy's naughty," Andy said and snatched the Ipad back, hitting her again.  
"You little brat," Cilia muttered under her breath as she walked back to the kitchen.  
A while later she got back to that hard question, "If, after a bill passes both houses of Congress and goes to the President for signature, can Congress recall the bill? And if so, how?" She said, "why don't I know that?  
Natasha would, even though she's not studying law.  
Miss perfect get's A's on everything, if our assignment were based on work I'd be getting double A's."  
She pursed her lips as she thought of Natasha, that girl had everything perfect, and what did she have? A fake reputation.  
Everyone thought she was married to a rich doctor and had a fantastic life, and house with a massive pool.  
"Phh, I wish," Cilia muttered, "all I have is a bratty kid, a dump of a home and a massive loan to pay off. I hope when I get my degrees and all, I can actually pay off these loans.  
I hope I can afford to send Andy to school in 3 years," she sighed and turned her attention back to the question, "If, after a bill-."  
Suddenly Andy's shrill yell came again, "Mummy! It's not working!"  
Cilia tried not to scream herself and ran over to him, "what now?" She asked.  
He practically threw the Ipad at her, "look!" He yelled.  
Cilia looked, the game wasn't working.  
No wifi signal, she got out her phone, she couldn't turn on data.  
She slapped her hand against her forehead, that would be the 2 weeks overdue payment for the data, what else could go wrong today?  
She'd have to fix that tomorrow too.  
She glanced at the clock, 8:30pm, it was way past Andy's bedtime, the worst part of her day.  
"Andy," she said, "you have to go to bed now."  
"Nooo!" He yelled and ran away from her, "I'm not, no!"  
"You either come and go to bed nicely, or I'm gonna drag you there," Cilia said sternly.  
Andy just laughed defiantly, "no I'm no!" He said.  
Cilia looked at him, as bad as it was to admit, she didn't even love him.  
But she had to admit he was cute, his curly dark brown hair a brown eyes, and his adorable smile.  
But he looked just like his father, and she hated his father, if it weren't for him, she wouldn't be in this mess.  
"Andy get into bed!" She practically screamed.  
"Ha ha!" He laughed, "I'm not, Mummy's a bum face, ha ha!"  
Cilia didn't know whether she wanted to scream or cry, so she ran over to him grabbed his arm roughly and practically threw him in his room and locked the door.  
Now, if she could ignore his constant screaming, maybe she could have her assignment finished by tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 3

"What were your scores?" Kylie asked Natasha the day after the incident with Cilia.  
"Excellent!" Natasha replied, "I got 2 A+'s, one A and a B+."  
"Wow!" Kylie said, "I got 3 A's and a b+, like you, but you top mine with all those +'s."  
"I wonder what Cilia got," Natasha said, "I'm not judging her, but really it doesn't take 3 weeks to do an assignment.  
I did mine in like 4 days!  
She's just really lazy, that's what it is."  
"Hey," Kylie said, "that's not nice, we don't know her life story, she's probably busy.  
But I have to admit, that is a very long time."

 

Cilia started at her reports, she wanted to cry.  
She had been deducted points for being late and handing her assignments in late as well.  
She got 2 C's, one D- and a B.  
Then she saw those girls walking down the hallway, she hated them, she just bet they got perfect scores.  
"Hey," she said walking up to them, "I'll be you miss perfect got all A's, am I right?"  
"Yes, I did," Natasha replied, "can you leave us alone please?"  
"Hmm, now why would I do that?" Cilia said, "I've just come to let you know I've started the fire, this little story about you two is gonna go crazy.  
Soon everyone will hate you too, just like I do.  
You little goodie to shoes, getting everything right, you probably cheated anyway!"  
"Cilia, what on earth is your problem?" Kylie almost yelled, "why can't you leave us alone, we work hard for our grades, your assignments are always overdue, no wonder, when you spend all your time bullying us!  
It's not our fault if you failed!"  
Cilia looked like she was going to explode.  
"That came out wrong," Kylie said, "I'm sorry, I just meant-."  
"You hate me?" Cilia said, "well guess what I hate the two of you as well, you are such a disappointment to the world, you judge everyone, I wish you were never even born!"  
"Well, that's just mean!" Natasha said, tears sliding down her cheeks, "you are a horrible person!" She yelled and ran away down the hall.  
Then another memory flashed in Cilia's mind.  
She was almost 17 years old, she was living with her Mum, her stepdad and her 4 half sisters and one half-brother.  
They were all under 12 years old and were fighting, she could hear them downstairs.  
She was up in her room, crying, and her mother was yelling at her.  
"You disgusting girl! How are you even my daughter?" She said, "you are a horrible person!"  
"I'm sorry Mum," Cilia cried, "I didn't mean for this to happen!"  
"Then you shouldn't have gone to that party!" Her mother replied, "I told you these things happen!  
You little-."  
Cilia cut her off, "I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!" Then she calmed down a bit, "what can I do now?" She asked.  
"You can pack your bags and get out is what you can do!" Her mother yelled, "no daughter of mine is having a baby at 17!"  
"But please Mum!" Cilia pleaded, "please! I have nowhere to go!"  
"Get out!" Her Mum screamed, "I don't want anything to do with you anymore!"  
Then the flashback ended, and Cilia was back in the real world.  
"Hello?" Kylie was saying, "did you hear what I said?" She asked.  
Cilia shook her head, "no, I didn't," she replied.  
"I said, I've done my best to be nice to you," Kylie responded, "I've never retaliated to what you do. I've tried to be caring, but you just throw it in my face!  
Leave me alone from now on, I'm still going to be nice to you, but please, I'm asking you nicely, please stop this."  
Cilia shook her head, "but you and your sister just get on my nerves, I can't stand you!  
You always get things right, it's not fair.  
You need to understand how the majority of the world feels," she said.  
Then she grabbed Kylie's backpack and dumped its contents on the floor, as she did, a bible fell out, "phh, you're a religious person.  
Could have guessed, you people are so judgemental," Cilia said, "you know what? Now, I hate you even more."  
Kylie stood watching as Cilia strutted off, she was outraged and hurt, how dare she say she hated her!  
She took a few deep breaths and whispered, "Dear God, please help me love her. Give me an opportunity to show her your amazing love."

Cilia went home angry that day, she could have guessed those girls were religious, that's why they were so judgmental.  
They didn't understand her, and thought she wasn't studying, "well, I don't care," she thought to herself, "this lie is spreading like wildfire, those girls will never be happy there anymore."  
She slipped the gold ring off her left ring finger and put it in her pocket before entering her apartment, "thanks again Grace," she said, closing the door behind her.  
"Your welcome," Grace replied, then she looked over at Andy, who was playing contently with his trucks, "I got him to calm down," she said.  
"Wow, good job," Cilia said.  
Grace smiled, "I better go now," she said.  
Cilia nodded, and handed the girl her pay, "see ya tomorrow?" She asked.  
"Sorry I've got camp for the next week," Grace said, "but my sister might be able to, she normally babysits for my Aunt, but since she's moved Lilly's had no work.  
She'd probably love to look after Andy."  
Cilia breathed a sigh of relief, "great, thanks," she said seeing her out the door.  
"Cnn you play wiff me, Mummy?" Andy asked.  
Cilia sighed, "for a little while, ok," she said.  
"Yeah!" Andy said and pushed his toy truck across the mat, "brumm, brumm, I'm a fire twuck, brumm, brumm!"

After dinner that night, Cilia set Andy up watching cartoons, Peppa pig or something.  
She sighed as she washed up the dishes, life was looking up a bit, Andy was behaving, that was a miracle in itself.  
She had just put the last dish away when there was a knock on the front door.  
Cilia walked over and opened it, a tall, handsome, African American man stood in front of her.  
He was wearing a red jacket with the hood up, blue jeans and black converse shoes.  
"Hi Cilia," he said, with a nervous smile.  
Cilia stumbled back and used the door handle to steady herself, "Luke?" She said, utterly confused, "what? How?"  
"I had to see you again," he started, "I'm so sorry for ignoring all your calls, but I'm different now."  
"You better come in," Cilia said holding the door open.  
When they were both seated on the couch, Luke began, "Cilia, I'm really sorry.  
I wanted to find you, but you had changed your phone number, I called your parents, but they said you weren't there," he paused, and looked a bit uncomfortable, "it's good to see everything's going well."  
"Everything is not going well!" Cilia almost yelled, "I''m stuck in this tiny apartment, that I can barely pay the rent for, I'm running to uni 4 days a week, and the rest of the time I'm managing 3 jobs.  
I'm trying to get a degree so that I can get out of this mess, but now I have a huge loan to pay off."  
"Mummy?" Andy said walking into the room holding the bottom of his T-shirt.  
Luke got up from his seat and walked over to him, kneeling down he said, "Hello," he looked up at Cilia, "who is this?" He asked.  
Cilia took a deep breath, "your son," she said.  
Luke quickly made his way back to the couch and looked intently at her, "what?" He said.  
"I'm not lying," Cilia said, "that's why I wasn't at home, I was kicked out because of you."  
Luke looked utterly shocked, "oh dear God," he said, "I had no idea."  
"That's why I tried to call you," Cilia said, "but you never answered, why?"  
"Because I thought you wanted to go on a date or something," Luke said, "I wasn't ready for a girlfriend at that stage."  
"Oh and now you are?" Cilia asked, "you decide to waltz back into my life and want to get together now?  
Andy is such a brat, you can take him now; I'm fed up with him."  
"I'm sure we can work something out," Luke replied, "maybe I can take him on weekends or something," then he sighed, "man I never excepted this to be my life. I actually wanted to tell you something, something that I learned and I think it would be amazing if you listened.  
My fiance goes to a university, and she told me about a girl who went there called Cilia Fern. I couldn't believe it, and I knew I had to come and see you, so I looked up all the women with your name in all the phone books.  
I went to see each of them, and tonight I came to the right house, I want to tell you that I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, that never should have happened, but-".  
"You have a feonce that goes to my Uni?" Cilia said, "what's her name?"  
"Natasha Linewood," Luke replied.  
"But," Cilia started, "didn't you hear about her? She can't have a boyfriend, she's got this secret, how did you ever get together?"  
"Oh," Luke said, "we met at church you see."  
"Church?" Cilia said, "I knew Natasha was religious, but you? You are the last person I would expect."  
"I know," Luke said, "but that's also what I came to tell you, about what Jesus did for me."  
"I don't wanna hear it," Cilia said coldly, "you know what? Andy can stay with me, I don't want him growing up into another judgmental freak."  
"Cilia, please listen to me," Luke said, "I want to tell you, you have no idea what Jesus did for you."  
"Oh I know," Cilia said, "he allowed me to get into this situation, if God does miracles, why can't he get me out of this? Why doesn't he care?"  
"God does care, Cilia," Luke said, "that's why he died for you so that you could go to heaven."  
"Save it," Cilia said, standing up and opening the front door, "I don't care, you can leave.  
I don't want Andy to know you, now get out."  
"Cilia please?" Luke asked, walking over to her.  
Cilia felt a cold anger rise up inside of her, "get. Out," she said.  
Luke sighed, "well, know I'm always ready if you want to know more about God."  
"Trust me, I won't want to," Cilia said and slammed the door the second he stepped out, "Natasha will be hearing about your little accident," she said with a nasty smile, "she won't want to know you after that."


	4. Chapter 4

Natasha walked down the street, a handbag on her arm and a smile on her face.  
She was so happy, "God is soo good," she said, "my life is wonderful."  
She stopped out front of a cafe, "hmm, I am sort of hungry," she thought, and went in.  
The waitress came over to serve her, "what can I get you?" She asked.  
"Umm, the ceaser salad please," Natasha replied.  
"Sure," the waitress said, then she noticed the beautiful engagement ring on Nasha's hand, "that's gorgeous," she said, "you must be thrilled."  
Natasha smiled, "I am, it was just last night I was engaged too."  
"Aww, beautiful," the waitress smiled back, "your salad won't be too long."

Natasha sighed and pushed her empty bowl away, she couldn't wait to tell her friends at uni about her engagement.  
Her happy feeling dropped as she saw Cilia enter the cafe.  
She tried to focus on her phone, but Cilia walked right over to her, "hey you," she said, "I saw you from the street and thought I'd tell you a few things."  
"Why?" Natasha said, "you hate me remember?"  
"Well, sort of," Cilia said, "but I've gotta give you a heads up, you know, girl to girl."  
"What type of heads-up?" Natasha asked.  
"Well," Cilia started, "your precious feonce has got a dirty little secret."  
"How do you know my feonce?" Natasha asked.  
"Well you see, I knew him about 4 years ago," Cilia said, "he's got a kid, and I can prove it."  
"You can't prove that," Natasha said angerly.  
"Oh yeah I can," she said and got her phone out, "see this?" She said pointing to a selfie of her and Luke from a few years back.  
"Yes," Natasha said, "so?"  
"Well there was a party one night, we both went, which is how we met.   
I have a 3-year-old son," Cilia said, "I'm not married as you probably guessed. I don't mind admitting this to you 'cause no one's gonna believe you anyway," then she showed her a photo of Andy, "this little boy is a result of that night."  
Natasha was utterly shocked, "why? But-."  
She was cut off by a loud bang and people screaming and running out of the cafe.  
She heard two deep voices talking and say, "Nah, those aren't good, take those two, they're pretty."  
Natasha heard a click of metal, and her stomach dropped when she looked up and saw a man pointing a gun at her.  
Cilia was blabbering something like, "oh no, oh no, please god, on no!"  
Natasha looked the man in the eyes, "what do you want?" She asked.  
"We've got orders to take two hostages," the man said, "and you two are who we've chosen."  
It was then that Natasha noticed there was no one else in the room, and there were men with guns guarding the doors.  
"Get up!" Another man yelled walking over to the girls.  
They obeyed silently.  
"Turn around!" He yelled, as they did he grabbed the girls hands and tied them behind their backs.  
"On your knees!" He yelled.  
The girls kneeled next to each other, even though they had had their conflicts, both were grateful for the other's presence.  
"Now-" one of the men started, but was interrupted by his walkie-talkie, "come in 24? Come in."  
The man picked it up and spoke, "yes boss?"   
"I can see you from the top of this building, change of plans," the boss said, "I want to prove a point to the police like I promised them I would shoot one of em."  
The man shook his head in disbelief, "what?" He asked.  
"You heard me 24," the boss said, "I need one of those girls dead, we'll take the other as a hostage, chose.  
I need the job done within 5 minutes before the cops get there."  
The man took a deep breath, and his expression hardened, "yes boss," he said.  
Cilia's stomach dropped, "no, please, please!" She begged.  
"Look, we have money," Natasha said.  
"We've got a job to do girls," the other man said, "now, you chose 24."

Kylie was walking along the street worried, where on earth was Natasha?  
She was supposed to be home by now, she had called saying she was getting lunch, but it didn't take that long.  
Kylie's heart stopped when she saw it.  
"Oh God," she said, "oh dear God!"  
Cilia and Natasha were on their knees with their hands tied behind there backs, and a man was pointing a gun at them!  
"God give me courage," she prayed and walked over to a window.  
She steadied her breathing and ducking from the guard's view, she managed to slip into the building.  
She saw the two men were looking away from the girls, "it's now or never," she said and made a run for it.  
Natasha saw her and relief came over her face, but it quickly changed to a look of fear, "look out!" She yelled.  
But it was too late, Kylie felt cold metal slam into her head as one of the guards hit her with the end of his gun.  
She fell to the ground, not unionise, but her head throbbed, she touched her head and felt blood in her hair.  
The guard hoisted her up by her arm, "what do we have here?" He said taking her over to the two leaders.  
"Aw she's a beauty," one of the men said, "24 haven't you chosen yet?"  
"Chosen what?" Kylie asked.  
"Well sweety," 24 said, "we've gotta chose which one to shoot, bosses orders."  
"Oh!" Kylie said, "please don't!"  
"You know them do you?" He asked.  
"Yes," Kylie said, pointing to Natasha, "she's my sister."  
"What are we gonna do with her?" The other man asked.  
"Well, I'm taking her with us when we leave," he said, "show off my war booty," he said stroking her hair.  
Kylie shook her head, making it hurt again, "let them go!" She yelled.  
"But I can't choose," he said, "well since I can't, "you chose."  
Cilia's heart dropped, she was going to die.  
She was a bully, she had been so mean to Kylie, why would she bother to save her?  
She was so scared, she didn't want to die, what would happen?  
She was so remorseful in that moment for everything she had done to those girls, she wished she could take it all back, but she couldn't.  
What was done was done, she couldn't change it.  
Kylie was going to choose her sister, she was going to die.  
Kylie felt sick, "what?" She asked.  
"You heard me," the man answered, "you chose, and stand in front of the one you want to save."  
In an instant, Kylie chose her sister, but then she remembered a bible verse.  
"love thy neighbour as thy self."  
She loved her sister with all her heart, she was her best friend, they shared all the ups and downs of life together.  
But Cilia was lost, she didn't know God, if she died, she would go to hell, whereas her sister would go to heaven.  
But that thought didn't give her any comfort, she loved Natasha, she was going to get married, become a heart surgeon, she had her whole life ahead of her.  
"Ok," the man said, "you have 10 seconds, if you don't choose, I will. 1."  
Kylie sent a destress prayer to God, "please help me Lord, give me wisdom."  
"9."  
She knew Cilia was a bully, she had told her and Natasha she hated them.  
But so did the people who Jesus died for.  
"8."  
She loved Natasha so much, she would feel betrayed if she chose Cilia.  
"7."  
But she had just been praying for an opportunity to show Cilia the love of Jesus, but she never expected it to be a matter of life or death.  
"6."  
If she chose Cilia, what if she didn't change?  
It would have all been for nothing.  
"5."  
Kylie's heart was racing, and tears started to run down her cheeks, how could she sacrifice her sister for a bully?  
"4."  
God would give her the strength, she loved her sister, but she also loved Cilia with the love of Jesus.  
"3."  
Kylie felt sick, she knew she had to choose, she swallowed and took a deep breath.  
"2."  
"Natasha," she began, "you know I love you right?" She asked shakily.  
Natasha nodded, tears falling down her cheeks.  
Cilia felt a tiny prick of hope, then shook it off, there was no way.  
She had to accept it, in a few seconds she was going to die.  
"Cilia doesn't know God," Kylie said.  
What?  
Cilia was so confused, she wasn't going to save her, but why would she say that?  
In that moment Natasha felt sick, her sister was going to choose Cilia.  
She tried not to hyperventilate and asked God for peace, and he gave it to her.  
She knew everything would be ok, her family would be fine, Cilia would get another chance to hear the gospel.  
She was going to see her King, her savour, and she knew it was going to be ok.  
Kylie's tears came faster and faster now, and she knew that her sister knew what she planned to do, "I love you, Natasha," she said.  
"1," the man said and raised his gun.  
Kylie jumped in front of Cilia and closed her eyes.  
Cilia couldn't believe it, she thought she might have been hallucinating.  
But it was real, this girl, who she had bullied and been so mean to was choosing her over her own sister.  
But why?  
She was horrible.  
She had stuffed up her life.  
She was a nobody.  
Why?  
Kylie heard the click of metal as the man cocked the gun.  
She tried to focus on the thought that her sister was going to be with Jesus.  
She kept her eyes closed, but the time seemed like it was an eternity.  
She took a shaky breath and another.

Bang.

Kylie opened her eyes, her sister was dead.  
She didn't break down; instead, everything seemed to be a blur.  
She heard the sounds of a siren coming closer, the bad guys ran for their lives.  
She turned and saw a policewoman running towards her, "what happened?" She asked, "are you ok?"  
Her words seemed to slur together, and Kylie realised she must be in shock, she could only hear the sound of that gunshot echoing in her mind.  
Another officer untied Cilia, who was an absolute mess of tears, but before she was taken to get checked up, she asked, "why? Why would you do that for me?"  
Kylie suddenly felt a love for this girl, and she knew she had made the right decision, "because, God did the same for me," she said.


	5. Chapter 5

The next couple of chapters will be from Cilia's POV.

 

I got home late at night after the policemen's questions, paid Grace's sister for looking after Andy and started to cook dinner.

I thought it was best to get my mind off what had happened, so I completely pushed the incident to the back of my mind - it's how I deal with feelings, that I don't actually want to deal with.

Andy was happy watching tv, and I started to prepare an oven meal when I got a call from one of my bosses.

"Hello?" I said.

"Cilia," my boss started, "are you aware you have a shift tonight?"

I slapped my hand to my forehead, "ahh, no," I said, "I completely forgot."

"Well, are you able to come in?" He asked.

I sighed, I was in the middle of making dinner, and I had no one to watch Andy.

"I'm really sorry," I said, "but I've got no one to watch my son, and I can't get anyone on such short notice."

"You've done this 3 times this last month you know?" My boss said angerly.

"I know," I said, my heart racing, I couldn't afford to lose this job, "I'm really sorry, I would be straight in, but I've got no one to watch my son."

"Maybe I can get Sarah to cover for you," my boss replied, "but if she can't we're gonna be short staffed."

"I'm really sorry," I said again, "I hope Sarah can cover."

"You better hope so," my boss replied, "if she can't, we're gonna be in trouble, it's a Friday night; poor Tia's going to have run between kitchen and serving."

I didn't say anything, because I was afraid I'd mess it up.

"Well, see ya Sunday," he said and hung up.

I took a deep breath, I hoped I wasn't fired, I should have said I was involved in a hostage situation' but he probably wouldn't have believed me anyway.

I turned my attention back to cooking and tried to push that memory out of my mind.

But it kept coming back, the sight of Natasha laying on the ground dead, Kylie crying so hard, the police asking me questions, that I didn't want to think about; it was horrible.

 

"Andy," I called a while later, "time for dinner."

He happily skipped into the dining room, and sat down at the table, which was really a pitiful and full of scratches, I found it at a garage sale; I had brought it, since I couldn't afford a new one.

Andy happily chomped away at his fish fingers and left the peas sitting on the edge of the plate.

I always gave him vegetables but he never ate them, I tried to make him once - never again; he could put a huge fight for a 3-year-old.

It was now 7:30, and I knew Andy had to go to bed, after about 40 minutes of me yelling, Andy laughing and running around the apartment, I finally managed to coax him into his room with the promise he could have ice cream tomorrow.

I sat and watched TV until 10:30, then I went to my room. 

I took my make up off, undressed and put on my blue PJ's and hoped into bed.

I scrolled through Instagram for half an hour then turned my phone off and settled down.

I soon found out I couldn't sleep, all I was seeing when I closed my eyes was Kylie and Natasha, poor Natasha.

I was traumatized, scared and confused, so confused.

Why? I asked my self over and over again, why?

Why would Kylie sacrifice her sister for me?

I didn't understand.

She had said a few things about me know not knowing god, what on earth did that mean?

I felt tears slid down my cheeks and I shook my head, why?

I was a nobody, I had totally stuffed up my life.

I was a bully, I picked on them so that I wouldn't feel so bad.

I told them I hated them, I said I wished they were never born!

And yet Kylie chose me, I didn't understand.

I closed my eyes and tried to forget; forget everything, I never wanted to think about his again.

 

I heard a scream, and I sat upright in bed.

Was Andy OK?

The scream came again, but it wasn't Andy, it was a woman's scream.

I got out of bed and ran towards the noise, it was coming from outside, down an alley.

A dark alley.

There was writing on the walls, it read, 'why? Why? Why?'

I took a few shaky breaths and walked down the alley, suddenly I saw a girl laying on the ground, it was Natasha.

I ran over to her, and when I knelt down, I could see she was covered in blood, it was seeping through her clothes, caused by a bullet.

I tried to help her, but I suddenly everything disappeared into darkness, and I was standing alone.

Then I felt warm liquid running down my hands, I looked and saw blood covering my hands, I was bleeding!

Suddenly I knew it wasn't my blood, it was Natasha's.

I screamed, tried to wipe it off, but it didn't go away.

Then a picture of Natasha laying on the cold floor, dead, still with her hands tired, flashed in front of me, and I screamed again, but all that came out was a pitiful noise.

I was stuck, my feet wouldn't move, I looked at my bloodstained hands again and suddenly everything went black.

I opened my eyes, it was a dream.

I looked at my hands, they were clean; I took a few deep breaths and burst into tears.

I knew what the dream was about, why I couldn't get the blood off, because it was stained, basically tattooed onto my hands.

I understood, it was my fault, I didn't understand why Kylie chose me, but I knew she made the wrong choice.

Maybe she accidentally jumped in front of me, whatever the case, if I didn't come in and pick on Natasha, she wouldn't have died.

Her blood was on my hands, stained onto my heart, it was my fault, and I was never getting rid of my guilt.

It was my fault,

I killed her.


	6. Chapter 6

"Is that all you were after today?" I asked a woman and her 3 children, 2 weeks after the dream.

"Umm, can l get one more frozen drink?" She asked.

"Sure," I said, and put it thought on the register, "it won't be too long."

The line was finished so I set about making her order, after a few minutes I handed it out to her.

She came back 5 minutes later saying it was the wrong order, "sorry," I said, and then a man came up to the counter.

"Excuse me," he said angrily, "this isn't my order."

"Sorry," I said again, swapped over the orders and went to the cold room to stock up the drink fridges.

A while later my manager called me into her office; my heart started to race and knew I was in trouble.

"Sit down," she said, "I need to talk to you about some things."

My heart dropped down to my toes, "yes," I said shakily.

"Cilia," my manager started, "honestly you've been really distant, confused and forgetful lately.

Your work spirit is gone, and you keep messing up orders and snapping at the other employees.

I'm sorry Cilia, but you've been warned 4 times in the last 2 weeks."

I felt sick, I knew what was coming next, I was going to be fired, I couldn't be though, I needed this job so badly.

I had lost my other job last week, for the same reason, I felt so defeated, how could I take care of Andy with only one part-time job?

"I'm sorry, but we can't let you continue to work here when you act like that," my manager said, "so I'm sorry Cilia, but you are dismissed. You can finish your shift though."

I nodded, rose from the seat and numbly walked out of the room, I was fired, I couldn't believe it, had I really be that affected from the hostage incident? So much so that it showed in my work?

I hoped I was doing better in my other job, after my shift, I went into Uni for a lesson but didn't pay any attention.

I couldn't think, all I knew is that if I wasn't careful I could lose everything.

 

I got home exhausted that night, I tried to study, but nothing would come to me, I pushed it aside and started to make dinner.

I wished to high heaven I could get takeaway, but as always, I was tight on money, even more so now that normal.

After dinner I got Andy settled in his room playing some game on his iPad, and started watching TV. Soon he fell asleep and I carried him to his room, lay him on his bed, and was about to walk out when a thought struck me.

This my little boy, I'm his Mother, but I never act like it; I always act like his big sister, irritated at everything.

I always yelled at him, cursed him under my breath, sometimes out loud; then yelled at him when he swore at me. 

I was a terrible Mother, I didn't even deserve that title, I had stuffed up my life, he was an accident, but then again, so was I; my Mum didn't want me.

But I still had feelings, and so did Andy, I was a brat of a kid too, he deserved love.

I was determined in that moment to give him what I never had, love, and in return, maybe he would love me back.

I quietly walked out of the room and closed the door, and I was suddenly whisked back into reality:

I was alone.

I had one job, which I was probably going to lose.

I had been in a hostage situation, and 2 weeks later I was still traumatized.

Andy would probably never love me.

I was a failer.

I was an accident, so I just created another accident, my whole life was never meant to be.

It probably would have been better that way, if Mum never had me.

I wiped away the tears that had come and told myself I was worth it, that I could do it, that I was amazing, even though I didn't believe it.

I grabbed my jacket and phone, locked the front door, and walked outside.

I put my earphones in and walked down the still-busy nighttime street.

I played my favourite song, released only last year, 'Titanium' my Sia; it helped me feel special - like my life had a purpose.

I looked up at the street lamps and heard the loud sounds of cars whizzing past; took a deep breath of the cool Los Angeles air and pulled my jacket closer around me.

About an hour later I snuck back inside, closed the door, went into my bedroom, replaced the song for the 31st time, and went to sleep.


End file.
